The invention relates generally to lasers and more particularly to solar pumped gas lasers.
The conversion of solar radiation into laser light has application in space power transmission where long transmission distances are encountered. To make this conversion, solar radiation is collected in space by a large reflector and then focused on a laser cavity containing an appropriate lasant such as C.sub.3 F.sub.7 I. The resulting laser energy is then beamed to user for onboard electrical and propulsion needs. Gas lasers are particularly suitable for high power operation since the gaseous lasant is nondestructible and waste heat removal is straightforward.
Previous solar pumped gas laser systems have been limited to laser gain lengths of less than 10 centimeters, which requires very high solar concentrations to achieved lasing. Further, when such high solar concentrations are required, lasing is susceptible to spatial variations in the input solar radiation pattern thereby causing instabilities in the laser beam profile.
An object of this invention is to provide a long gain length solar pumped laser suitable for use in space power transmission.
Another object of this invention is to provide a solar pumped laser that requires lower solar concentrations to achieve lasing thereby making the laser less susceptible to spatial variations in the input solar radiation pattern and the laser beam profile more stable, and also less pyrolysis of the lasant material.
A further object of this invention is to lengthen the lasing path of a solar pumped laser and concentrating the collected solar radiation such that its intensity pattern matches the lengthened lasing path.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent hereinafter in the specification and drawing.